Railway traffic controlling apparatus



July 6, 1937. E. M. ALLEN ET Al.

RAILWAY TRAFFIC CONTROLLING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed sept. 5, 1955 AN NN .w/ Q m. Y Q1 MN TMW M QN O V J T .JM K E N @n R QN Emva u TB m QITN v IM .n N NQW mm. wm, QM. AN. d j f EDQ m w m mm mw w Q. @EN m Jw HIL ILTWIL r ,d l .U L\NM Q Y m N u NN N @WN i-- u@ s NJ A .m ,/l- MY. v .L NTWM. wwwmm l IMM- Mm. T Q m.. W wbbwmm NGUNNNNSW mm Nw IMT. .W Q

July 6, 1937. E. M. ALLEN ET AL 2,085,886

RAILWAY TRAFFIC CONTROLLING APPARATUS` Filed sept. 5, 1935 2 sheets-sheet 2 bs E i S l v; 5 N

u -I\\ .g Q n C g w MQ I l I I I I I rm- \1\\\`I -V N q", l t@ f L I INVENTORS Earl M.AZIQ12 THEIR ATTORNEY Thomas J OMQaPa.

Patented July 6, 1937 RAILWAY TRAFFC CONTRO-[LING APPARATUS Earl M. Alien, Swissvale, and Thomas J. OMeara, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignors to The Union Switch 8a Signal Company, Swissvale, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application September 5, 1935, Serial No. 39,306

12 Claims.

Our invention relates to railway traflic controlling apparatus, and particularly to apparatus wherein a switch and the signals governing traffic thereover are controlled by manually operable 5 levers.

More specically our invention relates to means for locking the switch lever in one position or another, and to means for insuring that the locking means is in the locking position before the signals associated with the switch can be caused to indicate proceed.

We will describe two forms of apparatus embodying our invention, and will then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. l is a diagrammatic view illustrating one form oi apparatus embodying our invention wherein the switch is electrically controlled by the switch lever. Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view illustrating another form of apparatus also embodying our invention wherein the switch is mechanically controlled by the switch lever.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts in each of the views.

Referring to Fig. l, the reference character A designates a railway switch for connecting a siding or a branch track E with a main track F. This switch is operated by a mechanism which is controlled by a polarized switch control. relay WR, this relay in turn being governed by a manually operable lever LI.

The movements of cars and trains through the switch A are governed by suitable signals, each of which is designated by the reference character S with a suitable distinguishing prefix. These signals are governed byV a manually operable signal lever designated by the reference character L2.

rI'he levers Ll and L2 are interconnected by suitable mechanical interlocking apparatus J as will hereinafter be explained.

The tracks E and F adiacent to the switch A are provided with a track circuit comprising the usual track battery 2, the rails of the tracks, and a track relay TR. The insulated joints 3 separate the rails of the track circuit from the adiacent track rails. The track relay TR is utilized in such manner, as hereinafter will be explained, that the switch lever L! cannot be manipulated ii the track circuit is occupied by a train.

Associated with the signals S is a pair of approach locking relays designated by the reference characters RMR and LMB.. In order to simplify the drawings, no control circuits are shown for the approach locking relays. It is understood that these relays function in the usual and well-known manner.- That is, relay RMR becomes deenergized when signal Si or signal S2 is cleared to permit movements of traflic from left to right over the switch A, and relay LMBl becomes deenergized when signal S3 or signal S4 is cleared to permit movements of traiic from right toleft over the switch A. When either approach locking relay is deenergized, the switch lever LI is locked, as will be explained hereinafter, so that the switch cannot be operated.

The lever Li comprises an arm 4 pivotally mountedV at the point 6. The arm 4 is locked in normal and Vreverse positions by means of a dog 'l lcooperating with a quadrant 8. The dog 'l is arranged to be elevated by a latch handle 5 pivotally mounted on the lever Yarm 4 and operatively connected with the dog by a latch rod S. When the lever arm l is in the normal position, vas shown in the drawings, dog I is at the righthand end of the quadrant 8, and when the lever arm is in the opposite or reverse position, the dog is at the left-hand end of the quadrant. The dog 'I is arranged to slide irl a rocker link I0, which is pivotally mounted at the point II. The center of curvature of the quadrant S is at vpoint t and the center of curvature of the slot in rocker link I0 when this lilik is in its middle position is 'at the same point. It will be seen, therefore, that Vwhen latch handle 5 is operated to elevate dog Vl, the rocker link Il will swing through one-half of its angular movement, that when `the lever arm 4 is shifted to its reverse position the rocker link l0 will remain at rest, and that when the latch handle 5 is released to permit dog 'l to drop into its reverse locking position, the rocker link will swing through the other half of its angular movement.

`operatively connected with the rocker link I0 is asegment I2 which cooperates with a dog I3 controlled by an electromagnet I4 through the medium of an armature I5. These elements constitute a means for holding the rocker link I0 in either of its extreme positions or in its intermediate position until the magnet i4 becomes energized. 'I'hat is, the rocker link Il] cannot be moved from its normal or its reverse position unless the magnet I4 is energized and when r-ocker link lil is moved to its intermediate position, further movement of the rocker link I0 is prevented unless magnet I is energized. The arma.- ture I5 and dog I3 are provided with aA contact I 6 which is closed only when the dog I3 is in the locking position. f

Although the armature I5 of; the magnet I4 lil) is here shown as being biased to a normal deenergized position by gravity, it is understood that this armature may be so biased by other means such, for example, as by a spring or as by movement of the segment I2 itself.

When the segment i 2 is operated from its normal to its reverse position, the segment passes through successive positions relative to dog I3 as indicated by the reference characters N, X, B, C, D, Y and R disposed adjacent the segment. That is, when rocker link il! is moved to its intermediate position, segment I2 moves from position N, through positions X and B in succession, to position C. When the lever arm l is reversed, rocker link IS and segment I2 remain stationary. When rocker link I completes its movement to its reverse position, segment I2 moves from position C, through positions D and Y in succession, to position R. When rocker link iii and segment i2 are moved in the opposite direction, the segment l2 moves through these positions in their reverse order.

The segment i2 controls movable contacts Il', i8, i9, 2i! and 2i which engage with xed contacts in accordance with the positions of segment i2 relative to dog I3 as designated by the reference characters disposed adjacent the xed contacts. For example, when segment i2 is at position N or position X or at any point between positions N and X, movable contact I 'i is in engagement with fixed contact N-X.

Segment I2, by means of movable contacts 26 and 2l, controls polarized switch control relay WR in accordance with the positions or the segment. That is, when segment l2 is in its normal position, relay WR is energized in the normal direction over easily traced circuits, and when segment I2 is in its reverse position, relay WR is energized in the reverse direction. Mechanism M is provided with easily traced circuits controlled by relay WR in the well-known manner. That is, when relay WR is energized in the normal direction, mechanism M is caused to operate the switch A to its normal position and when relay WR is energized in the reverse direction, the mechanism M is caused to operate the switch A to its reverse position.

Associated with the switch is a polarized indication relay KR which is controlled by movable pole-changing contacts 22 and 23 which contacts are controlled by any usual and well-known means in accordance with the switch position. The relay KR is provided with an easily traced control circuit which is closed, as hereinafter will be explained more in detail, when contact I6 is closed or when movable contact i9 is in engagement with fixed contact B-D. That is, the control circuit for relay KR is closed when magnet lf3 is deenergized or when segment I2 is in its intermediate position.

The signals Si, S2, S3 and S4 arecontrolled by easily traced circuits which include a front contact of the track relay TR, contacts of the switch indication relay KR and a contact controlled by the signal lever L2. For example, signal Sl is controlled by a circuit which passes from terminal P of a suitable source of energy, through front contact 36 of track relay TR, iront contact 3l of switch indication relay KR, righthand contact 32-33 of lever L2, normal polar contact 34-35 of relay KR, and signal SI to terminal O of the same source of current. Signal Si, therefore, can be caused to indicate proceed only if the track relay TR is energized and then only if the indication relay KR is energized in the normal direction. Since the relay KR can be energized only if the magnet I4 is deenergized when the segment I2 occupies one or the other of its extreme positions, it is readily apparent that signal Si cannot be caused to indicate proceed unless the segment I2 is locked in its normal position.

The mechanical locking J between the levers LI and L2 is so arranged that lever L2 cannot be moved from its normal position, as shown in the drawings, unless rocker link le occupies one or the other of its extreme positions, and when lever L2 is manipulated, either to the right or the left, rocker link I is locked in such extreme position.

The electromagnet I is provided with two control circuits each having two branch paths. The rst control circuit passes from terminal P through front Contact 30 of relay TR, front contact 35 of approach locking relay RMR, front contact 3l of approach locking relay LMR, floor push circuit controller 38, and thence through two paths, the first of which passes through fixed contact N-X, movable contact I and magnet ill to terminal O, and the second of which passesv through fixed contact R-Y, movable contact I'I and magnet itl to terminal O. The second control circuit includes the same path as just traced for the i'irst circuit up to and including floor push circuit controller 33, and thence through twotact i3, and the second path including reverse polar contact iiii2 of relay KR and xed contact R-D in engagement with movable contact I8. Magnet therefore can be energized when segment i2 is in either extreme position, if relays TR, RMR and LMR are all energized, and can be energized when segment I2 is in its intermediate position, if relays TR, RMR, LMR and KR are all energized provided that the condition of relay KR agrees with the condition of segment I2. Thus, magnet iii and dog I3 cooperating with segment i2 provide switch lever LI with detector locking and with indication locking. That is, lever LI cannot be moved from either of its eX- treme positions if trahie conditions are such as to make such movement unsafe and lever LI cannot be moved from its intermediate position unless the switch and lever occupy corresponding positions.

Having thus described the various parts of the apparatus illustrated in Fig. 1, we will now explain their operation.

We shall assume that with all apparatus .in the normal condition as shown in the drawings, the operator desires to reverse switch A. Before latch handle of lever LI can be depressed to release lever handle 1i, magnet ifi must be energized. The operator, therefore, depresses iioor push circuit controller 38 to energize magnet I4 by virtue of the previously traced control circuit for magnet I4 which circuit includes movable contact Il and fixed contact N--X. When magnet i4 is energized, segment I2 becomes unlocked so that latch handle 5 can be depressed to unlatch lever handle 4. When lever handle 4 in unlatched,

the operator moves the lever handle to its reverse position and releases latch handle 5 which moves segment I2 to the D or reverse indication position. The movement of segment I2 to the D position causes switch control relay WR to become energized in the reverse direction which relay in turn energizes mechanism M in the reverse direction. When switch A has moved to its reverse position, the relay KR is energized in the reverse direction over a circuit which includes switch indicationcontacts 22 and 23 andmovable contact I 9 in engagement with fixed.

.ment I2 unless relay KR is energized in a direction corresponding to the position ment I2.

It will also be noted that when segment I2 moves from the D position, movable contact of the seg- I9 is nolonger in engagement with Xed contact B--D so that the relay KR becomes deenergized. As soon as the operator permits floor push circuit controller 38Ato become opened, the magnet I4 becomes deenergized so that contact I5 becomes closed to reestablish the control circuit for the relay KR. When the relay KR is energized, the operator will manipulate signal lever L2 so as to clear the proper signal for permitting train movements over the switch A in the reverse position.

The operation of the apparatus for causing switch A to return to its normal position will bev understood without further explanation.

Referring now to Fig. 2, the reference character A designates a railway switch which is .mechanically operated by the switch lever LI by means of the usual pipe line and cranks designated in general by the reference character Q.

The switch is provided with the well-known facing point lock bar E! which moves with the switch and which is locked by plunger lock'5I entering normal recess 52 when the switch occupies its normal position and by plunger lock` 5I entering reverse recess 53 when the switch occupies its reverse position.

Plunger lock 5I is operated by facing point lock lever L3 by means of the usual and wellknown pipe line and cranks designatedin general by the reference character T, so that when lever L3 is in its reverse position the switch A is locked in one of its extreme positions.

Lever L3 is similar in all respects to switch lever LI and is provided with a segment I2A operatively connected to rocker link IEA. Segment'I2A cooperates with dog i3 in such manner, that unless magnet i4 is energized, segment I2A is prevented from moving to and from its reverse position.

Plunger lock 5I operates contacts 54 and 55 in accordance with the position of the plunger look by any usual and well-known means. That is,

' contacts :54 and 55 are closed when and only when the plunger lock 5I is in the locking position; that is, when leverl L3 occupies its reverse position.

Switch lever LI operates movable Contact 55 in accordance with the lever position by any usual and well-known means. That is, movable contact 56 is in engagement with xed contact 51 only when the lever occupies its normal position and is in engagement with xed contact 58 only when the lever occupies its reverse position.

Magnet I4 is provided with a'control circuit which passes from terminal P through front con- Y.tact 3!! of relay TR, front contact 36 of relay RMR, front contact 31 of relay LMR, floor push circuit controller 3,8, and thence through either of two pathsone of which passes through normal polar Contact 4-4I of relay KR, normal contact 56--51 of lever LI and Vmagnet I4 to termi- .nal O and the other ofwhich passes through reverse polar contact4Il-42 of relay KR, reverse'L 10 contact56e-58 of lever LI and magnet I4 to terminal 0.1' "I'hemagnetxll, therefore. can be en-V ergized only if relays TTR, RMR and LMR are all energized and then only if the position 'of the polar contacts of relay KR correspond to the` position of the contacts operated by lever LI.

The switch. indication relay KR isprovided with a circuit which includes switch indication contacts 22 andi 23 and which further includes plunger lock contacts 54 and 55 as well as contact.- I6 which is closed only when magnet I4 is deen'- ergized. That is, the relay KR will be energized in the normal or reverse direction in accordance with the switch position if and only if the switch is locked by lever L3 and then only if locking;v dog I3 occupies its locking position.

The'mechanical locking JA between the levers LI, L2 and YL3 isfso arranged that latch handle V5A of lever handle 4A- must occupy its reverse position before signal lever L2 can be manipui-o'- lated, When facing point lock lever L3 is' reversed so that latch handle 5A occupies its reverse position,VV switch lever-latch handle 5 is locked in one or the other of its extreme positions, and when signal lever L2 is manipulated;

latch handle 5A is locked in its reverse position.V

movement of leverLI to its reverse position drives switch A to its reverse position.

The operator now depresses latch handle 5An of lever handle 4A so that latch rod 9A elevates` dog 'IA` out of engagement withY quadrant 8A.

The elevation of dog 'IA moves rocker link IDA Y reverse recess 53 and also causes Vcontacts 54 and v55 to become closed, When contacts 54 and 55 are closed, relay KR becomes energized in ther reverse direction over switch indication contacts A22 and `23 which are now occupying their reverse position.

f The operator now energizes magnet I4 by closing floor push circuit controller 38 so that dog I3 will move out of the path of segmentv I2A`. When latch handle 5A is released, rocker link and segment I2A will complete their movement to their reverse position which will release the mechanical locking JA so that signalrlever L2 -gized so that contact I6 will become closed so as to establish the controlcircuit for the switch indication relay KR. When relay KR is energized, its front contact 3i will become closed so that the proper signal may be caused to indicate proceed.

It will be noted that 'the facing point lock lever L3 may be unlatched and moved toits reverse position when the switch is in one or the other of its extreme positions but that the latch handle 5A is prevented from moving to its reverse position by the dog i3 unless the position of the polar contacts of the relay KR are in agreement with the position of the switch lever L2. Thus, latch handle 5A cannot complete its movement to the reverse position so that the mechanical locking may release signal lever L2, unless the switch, the switch indicating relay and switch lever are all in corresponding positions.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that the apparatus embodying our invention provides a single and reliable means for insuring that an electric lock controlling a switch lever is in the locking position before any signal can be caused to indicate proceed to permit a train to pass over the switch.

Although we have herein shown and described only a few forms of apparatus embodying our invention, it is understood thatl various changes and modifications may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of our invention.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is:

l. In combination, a section of railway track having a railway traiiic controlling device associated therewith, a polarized relay for indicating the condition or" said traffic controlling device, manually controlled means for governing said traflic controlling device, a locking device controlled by traine conditions in said section and by said polarized relay for locking said manually controlled means, and means eontrolied by said locking device for governing said polarized relay.

2. In combination, a section of railway track having a railway traic controlling device associated therewith, a polarized relay for indicating the condition of said traffic controlling device, manually controlled means for governing said traffic controlling device, a locking device controlled by traiiic conditions in said section and by said polarized relay for locking said manually controlled means, means controlled by said locking device for governing said polarized relay, and a signal for governing tramo in said section controlled by said polarized relay.

3. In combination, a section of railway track provided with a track circuit and a track relay, a railway traic controlling device for said section, manually controlled means for governing said tralic controlling device, a polarized relay for indicating the condition of said trac oontrolling device, a locking device for said manually controlled means governed by said track relay and by said polarized relay, and means controlled by said locking ydevice for governing said polarized relay.

4. In combination, a section of railway track having a railway trafc controlling device associated therewith, an approach locking relay controlled by trafc approaching said section, a polarized indication relay for said traiiic controlling device, manually controlled means for governing said traflic controlling device, a locking device for said manually controlled means, means controlled by said approach locking relay and by said indication relay for governing said locking device, and means controlled by said locking device for governing said indication relay.

5. In combination, a section of railway track, a switch associated with said section and having normal and reverse positions, a lever for controlling said switch having two extreme positions corresponding to the positions of the switch, a locking device for said lever and having a locked and unlocked condition, traflic controlled means associated with said section eiective to prevent the device from assuming its unlocked condition when the section is occupied by a train, an indication relay for said switch, an-d means for energizing said indication relay in the normal or reverse direction according as said switch is in its normal or reverse position effective when said lever is in its extreme positions if and only if said locking device is in its locked condition.

6. Railway traffic controlling apparatus comprising a lever having normal and reverse positions, electrically controlled means for holding said lever in its normal and reverse positions and for releasing said lever when said means is energized, a railway switch having normal and reverse positions, an indication relay associated with said switch, means for energizing said indication relay in a normal or reverse direction according as the switch occupies its normal or reverse position eiective when said lever is in its normal or reverse positions if and only if said lever holding means is in vits holding position, means for controlling said railway switch by said lever, and means for energizing said lever holding means.

7. Railway traffic controlling apparatus comprising a lever having two extreme positions and an intermediate position, an electric lock eiective when deenergized to lock said lever in its intermediate position and effective when energized to release said lever, a railway switch, an indication relay controlled by said switch and by said electric lock, a circuit including a contact of said indication relay for energizingsaid electric lock when said lever is in its intermediate position, and means for controlling said railway switch by said lever.

8. Railway traiic controlling apparatus comprising a lever having normal and reverse positions, electrically controlled means for holding said lever in its reverse position and for releasing said lever when energized, a railway switch having normal and reverse positions, an indication relay associated with said switch, means for energizing said indication relay in the normal or reverse direction according as the switch is in its normal or reverse position eiective when said lever holding means is in its holding position and said lever is reversed, means for locking said railway switch in its normal and reverse positions effective when said lever is reversed, and means for energizing said lever holding means.

9. Railway traiiic controlling apparatus comprising a rst lever having normal and reverse positions, an electric look eiective when deenergized to prevent said rst lever from assuming its reverse position and effective when energized to release said lever, a railway switch having a normal and a reverse position, an indication relay controlled by said electric lock and by said switch and having a contact which assumes a normal or a reverse position depending upon the position of said switch, a second leverhaving a normalrand reverse position for controlling said switch, means including said indicationrelay contact for energizing said electric lock effective when said second lever and said contact occupy corresponding positions, and means for locking said railway switch in its normal and its reverse position effective when said rst lever is reversed. Y

10. Railway traffic controlling apparatus comprising a switch lever having normal and reverse positions, a latch associated with said switch lever and having a normal position in which said switch lever is latched in its normal position and an intermediate position in which said switch lever is not latched as well as a reverse position in which said switch lever is latched in its reverse position, an electric lock for locking said latch in its normal and reverse positions as well as in its intermediate position, a railway switch, an indication relay associated with said switch, means for controlling said indication relay effective both when said electric lock is in the locking position and also when said latch is in the intermediate position, a signal lever controlled by said switch lever, a signal controlled jointly by said indication relay and by said signal lever, and latch controlled means for unlocking said electric lock.

11. Railway traiic controlling apparatus comprising a lever having two eXtreme positions as well as an intermediate position, an electric lock for locking said lever in its normal and reverse positions as well as in its intermediate position, means including contacts actuated by said lever for controlling said electric lock, a railway switch controlled by said lever, an indication relay associated with said switch, means including a contact of said electric lock for energizing said indication relay when and only when sai-d electric lock is in its locking position if said lever is then in one or the other of its extreme positions, and a signal for governing movement of traino over said switch and controlled in such manner that said lever must be in one of its extreme positions and said indication relay must be energized before said signal can be causedto indicate proceed.

l2. In combination, a section of railway track, a switch and a signal associated with said section, a lever for controlling said switch, a locking device for said lever effective to lock said lever in its extreme positions as well as in its intermediate position, means controlled by traffic conditions in said section for unlocking said locking device, a contact closed only when said locking device is in its locking condition, an indication relay controlled by said switch and energized only when said contact is closed, and means for clearing said signal when and only when said indication relay is energized.

Y EARL M. ALLEN.

THOMAS J. OMEARA. 

